CuspAI emerged out of stealth after securing $30M in seed funding

CuspAI is leveraging generative AI, deep learning, and molecular simulation to build a platform to accelerate the design and development of novel materials, especially those that can contribute to global sustainability and clean energy issues. CuspAI's platform works similarly to a search engine for new materials. First, researchers request the features and capabilities they look for in a material, such as that it selectively binds carbon dioxide under specific conditions. Then, the platform generates the best candidates for potential molecular structures that satisfy the requested features. With this knowledge, researchers can quickly experiment and verify that the predicted materials can be synthesized, and are stable and useful under real-world conditions.

The company was founded by Professor Max Welling, a renowned pioneer in AI and former Distinguished Scientist and VP at Microsoft Research and Qualcomm, and Dr. Chad Edwards, a chemist and deep tech commercialization expert who has previously worked at Google, BASF, and Quantinuum. Geoffrey Hinton, famously known as 'the Godfather of AI', will serve on CuspAI's board. CuspAI is also announcing its strategic partnership with Meta to accelerate its open science contributions to discovering new materials to tackle climate change. Meta's chief AI scientist and VP, Yann LeCun commented on how Meta looks forward to collaborating with CuspAI to accelerate its OpenDAC project to discover and develop affordable materials for Direct Air Capture.

CuspAI's $30 million seed funding round was led by Hoxton Ventures, and backed by Basis Set Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners. LocalGlobe, Northzone, Touring Capital, Giant Ventures, FJ Labs, Tiferes Ventures, Zero Prime Ventures, and a selection of angel investors also participated in the funding round.